San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-09-09

been kind 10 me.
us not that enoughP" said Hilda sharply,
and In the cry betrayed herself.
knew then that she had said nothing Of
Uric and Annis, but had trusted TO my own
| disgrace 10 either dScredit me or bring on
| me the blame for having misled Annis
knew too that the game was in my hands,
II liked TO win; but Annis was my friend,
and could not betray her.
II am waiting for your answer" said Mr..
GascOigne. IL agree with my niece-what
have said is enough. Is IL trueg'
Again llilda raised her eyes and looked
at me almost fiercely, and her hands grip
ped each other tightly.
1T Is quite true" answered slowly. II
have me, your nephew. asked you, sir, IL
you had any commands TO give me for my
conduct outside your rooms, and you said
not. am engaged TO Gilbert"
And is that all you have 20 sayT' he
jerked out
"Excep, that have acted with no inten-
ton Of diSobcying you, that, II you are an
cry, am very, very sorry; and | know Gil
bert will be even more So"
"Why should he care? Do you suppose
he thinks am likely - forgive him his own
sins? Does he expect To get my money yet%'
Il am quite sure ne uOtS not.
"And you were not deluding yourself with
the notion that you would be the mistress OF
the Grange, suppose?'
IF Gilbert had been your heir" | said,
ut would never have happened. i should
not have met him, and you would have had
the right to see that he pleased you In what
he did"
"You think have not that right now?"
you east him of, Mr.. GaScoigne and re-
fused even to hear his name, and he had
acted independently of your wishes, but
never in opposition TO them. II he had been
your heir he would have been above me in
position and would never have had ii said
that | had married him for that position,
even had circumstances then brought us to-
gether."
"As circumstances, suppose, did nowY'
he said shrewdly.
let ii pass. The circumstances | could
not, for the sake of Annis, explain.
"If have seemed TO diSObey or deceive
you" said, Il ask your pardon; but you
left me free and you left him free"
And how long did you mean to keep up
the deception
II should have told you yesterday, as soon
as was engaged, IL had been able. Gil
bert was anxious that you should know at
once, and II was against my wishes that
stayed a night in the Grange knowingly
keeping the truth from you"
when do you mean TO get marred-On
nothing, prcsumc?'
Gilbert has his professor. | have my
home, in the meantime"
You propose to go home at once, l sup
pOse?"-"Yes," replied.
81 don't see," said the old man testify,
''why should be incOnvenienced in that
way. shall desire you to remain until
find some one to take your place; at least
you must give proper notice. Our arrange
ment was purely business one; sentiment
ally, am aware my feelings are OF no con-
sequence. Since the young gentleman is
not my heir, they cannot and do not claim
to be considerably either of you, of COURSE"
'rhey can and always will be, sir. Gil
bert is your nephew; 10 quarrel can alter
that. And hearts are truer than gold"
Hilda gave forced sarcastic laugh. Her
uncle was silent few minutes.
well, Miss ThOrne," he said at length,
81 have heard the charge, and have heard
your answer to it, which simply amounts to
an admission Of the facts. As you have init
mated, have no power over my nephew or
you. intend to act strictly upon our bust
ness relationship with you, and, as regards
my nephew, having nothing further to cut
him off from, can do nothing. You will UNI
derstand-and he had also better understand
that you stay at the Grange TO fulfil your
engagement with me, which was entered in
to before your engagement with him, and
that shall certainly not leave him farth-
ing when die. Nothing possess will be
left to either of my nephews. Nowis there
anything further, Hilda, you would like me
to say%
II should scarcely have expected" said
Hilda calmly, that you would have cared
to keep in your house one who has behaved
in this manner"
VERY good" he answered. THAT is my
own affair. keep Miss Thorne who has
done her work as my secretary to my entire
satisfaction, as my secretary. | made no
bargain as TO her leisure hours. IL she were
my niece, of course should take a very diff
ferent view of the case. Anything else,
HildaP'
Nothing"
'Have you any questions to ask, Gwendo-
line?'
None" said GwendOline, speaking for
the first time and in low suppressed tone.
'Then, my dears, you can go back 10 your
drawing-rOOm."
They went, Hilda with a slight flush Of
triumph on her cheeks, but yet not fully
satisfied, thought Neither the best nor
the worst she might have anticipated had
happened.
GwendOline followed her in silence to the
door; but, instead of going down to the
drawing-rOOm, she paced up the long corrl-
dor, her trailing gown, that fell from her
shoulders in graceful folds, reflected on the
polished floor and catching rays Of warm
color from the painted window.
proceeded straight to my own room, and
stood at the open easement looking at the
distant CLEAN Of the lake.
Miss ThOrnew
turned Gwendoline stood in the door
way, and spoke with averted eyes in the
quiet voice 50 unlike her short passionate
accents more often heard.
IL want you to know" she said, that |
have had no hand in this. Why you shield
ed Annis cannot tell Our part all through
was mean and despicable, and, had | been
YOU, l should have exposed the treacheTy
and the falseness Of it. But, even had mot
lived in glass house, | would not have
thrown stones at you. Perhaps you may be-
slow to believe. have not helped to make
your life very pleasant here, but TO this |
could not have come, and, whether you be-
lieye me or not | wished to tell you So"
She waited for no answer, but had gone
before | could speak.
CHAPTER XIII.
ftpr lnnchpon | rpturnpd a. usuaI IN Mr.